FRENCH VOCABULARY

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Building a strong vocabulary is the cornerstone of mastering any language, and our French Vocabulary Section is designed to help you express yourself on a variety of topics. There’s no point in memorizing grammar if you don’t know what things are called, so we recommend that you begin your French language journey right here. You can also explore specific French words and expressions in our Culture section.

On this page, you’ll find the essential vocabulary to get started. Our vocabulary lists are carefully curated to cover a wide range of themes. Learning the most common 2000 words will allow you to understand about 80–90% of everyday spoken or written material, assuming you already have a basic understanding of grammar. Languages follow the so-called "Pareto Principle" (80/20 rule), where a small portion of vocabulary covers the majority of real-life communication.

Begin with Useful Expressions, mastering key Verbs, Adverbs, and Adjectives that form the foundation of daily conversation. Move on to practical categories like Numbers and telling the Time, which are vital for scheduling and understanding context. Talking about your Family, describing Colors, Shapes, and Sizes, or ordering Food and Drinks helps you interact naturally. Topics like Clothing, Weather, and Travel bring vocabulary into real-world experiences, while LawJobs, Shopping, and Health reflect daily needs. To go further, explore interests through Hobbies, Education, and Nature, or navigate modern life with terms related to Home, TravelTechnology and Feelings. For more specialized or advanced vocabulary, delve into Sports, Animals, War, and Politics—and understand even the informal side of the language with a dose of Swearing.

For now, we suggest you read the words several times a day so that you can recognize them when you come across them in a conversation or a text. Learning French vocabulary will be a bit easier if you already know another Slavic language like Italian, Romanian, Spanish or Portuguese. Be sure to check out the Loanwords section at the end if you want to speed up the memorisation process even further. After this, you can move on to the Grammar section, where you’ll see these words in action.

Bring your French language skills to life!

black fawn pug wearing white and red striped shirt
black fawn pug wearing white and red striped shirt

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Useful French Expressions

bonjour hello
salut hi
au revoir goodbye
à bientôt see you soon
à demain see you tomorrow
bonne journée have a good day
bonne soirée have a good evening
bonne nuit good night
comment ça va ? how’s it going?
ça va bien I’m fine
pas mal not bad
comme ci comme ça so-so
et toi ? and you?
enchanté nice to meet you
à plus tard see you later
à tout de suite see you in a moment

merci thank you
de rien you’re welcome
s’il te plaît please (informal)
s’il vous plaît please (formal)
excuse-moi excuse me (informal)
excusez-moi excuse me (formal)
je suis désolé I’m sorry
pas de problème no problem
ce n’est rien it’s nothing
merci beaucoup thank you very much
avec plaisir my pleasure

oui yes
non no
peut-être maybe
d’accord okay
bien sûr of course
pas du tout not at all
absolument absolutely
jamais never
toujours always
parfois sometimes
souvent often

je ne sais pas I don’t know
je comprends I understand
je ne comprends pas I don’t understand
je suis perdu I’m lost
pardon ? sorry?
tu parles anglais ? do you speak English?
parlez plus lentement speak more slowly
répétez, s’il vous plaît repeat, please
qu’est-ce que ça veut dire ? what does that mean?
comment dit-on… ? how do you say…?

il fait beau it’s nice weather
il pleut it’s raining
il fait froid it’s cold
il fait chaud it’s hot
quel temps fait-il ? what’s the weather like?
il neige it’s snowing
il y a du vent it’s windy
il y a du soleil it’s sunny

j’ai faim I’m hungry
j’ai soif I’m thirsty
j’ai sommeil I’m sleepy
je suis fatigué I’m tired
j’ai mal à la tête I have a headache
ça va mieux it’s getting better
je me sens mal I feel bad
je suis malade I’m sick
je vais bien I’m fine

c’est combien ? how much is it?
je voudrais… I’d like…
l’addition, s’il vous plaît the bill, please
c’est bon it’s good
c’est délicieux it’s delicious
je n’aime pas ça I don’t like that
j’adore ça I love that
je suis allergique à… I’m allergic to…
sans sucre without sugar
avec de l’eau with water

attention ! watch out!
vite ! quick!
arrête ! stop!
aide-moi ! help me!
au secours ! help!
police ! police!
j’ai perdu mes clés I lost my keys
je ne trouve pas mon téléphone I can’t find my phone
où est la gare ? where is the train station?
c’est urgent it’s urgent

c’est la vie that’s life
ça y est ! that’s it!
tant mieux so much the better
tant pis too bad
bref anyway
tu plaisantes ? are you kidding?
je m’en fiche I don’t care
ça m’est égal it doesn’t matter to me
allez ! come on!
bon courage good luck (keep going)

person making latte art
person making latte art

Most Common French Verbs

a woman in a hat walking down a street
a woman in a hat walking down a street

être to be
avoir to have
faire to do
aller to go
venir to come
devenir to become
rester to stay
partir to leave
arriver to arrive
retourner to return

parler to speak
dire to say
répondre to answer
demander to ask
écouter to listen
entendre to hear
voir to see
regarder to watch
lire to read
écrire to write

manger to eat
boire to drink
cuisiner to cook
préparer to prepare
goûter to taste
acheter to buy
payer to pay
vendre to sell
choisir to choose
essayer to try on

travailler to work
étudier to study
apprendre to learn
comprendre to understand
enseigner to teach
réviser to revise
réussir to succeed
échouer to fail
penser to think
savoir to know (facts)

se lever to get up
se coucher to go to bed
se réveiller to wake up
dormir to sleep
se laver to wash oneself
se doucher to shower
s’habiller to get dressed
se brosser to brush
se maquiller to put on makeup
se raser to shave

aimer to love
adorer to adore
détester to hate
préférer to prefer
espérer to hope
vouloir to want
désirer to desire
sentir to feel
avoir besoin de to need
manquer to miss

jouer to play
marcher to walk
courir to run
sauter to jump
nager to swim
danser to dance
chanter to sing
dessiner to draw
peindre to paint
filmer to film

ouvrir to open
fermer to close
porter to wear / to carry
tenir to hold
lancer to throw
attraper to catch
utiliser to use
casser to break
réparer to fix
construire to build

conduire to drive
voyager to travel
voler to fly / to steal
naviguer to sail
visiter to visit
rester to stay
réserver to book
chercher to look for
trouver to find
perdre to lose

vivre to live
naître to be born
mourir to die
grandir to grow up
changer to change
tomber to fall
monter to go up
descendre to go down
entrer to enter
sortir to go out

Most Common French Adverbs

toujours always
souvent often
parfois sometimes
rarement rarely
jamais never
déjà already
encore still
bientôt soon
tard late
tôt early

ici here
there
là-bas over there
partout everywhere
quelque part somewhere
nulle part nowhere
dedans inside
dehors outside
au-dessus above
en dessous below

bien well
mal badly
vite quickly
lentement slowly
facilement easily
difficilement with difficulty
calmement calmly
bruyamment noisily
sérieusement seriously
poliment politely

oui yes
non no
peut-être maybe
probablement probably
certainement certainly
évidemment obviously
absolument absolutely
clairement clearly
apparemment apparently
franchement frankly

beaucoup a lot
peu little
assez enough
trop too much
plus more
moins less
autant as much
tout à fait completely
entièrement entirely
presque almost

maintenant now
hier yesterday
aujourd’hui today
demain tomorrow
ensuite then
après afterward
avant before
récemment recently
autrefois formerly
toujours still

seulement only
simplement simply
exactement exactly
environ approximately
juste just
presque nearly
quelque peu somewhat
complètement completely
totalement totally
partiellement partially

heureusement fortunately
malheureusement unfortunately
volontiers gladly
curieusement curiously
étrangement strangely
heureusement que luckily
doucement gently
méchamment meanly
joyeusement joyfully
tristement sadly

normalement normally
habituellement usually
logiquement logically
techniquement technically
moralement morally
physiquement physically
mentalement mentally
intelligemment intelligently
bizarrement weirdly
précisément precisely

glass building near green grass field during daytime
glass building near green grass field during daytime

Most Common French Adjectives

grand big
petit small
haut high
bas low
large wide
étroit narrow
long long
court short
profond deep
superficiel shallow

chaud hot
froid cold
tiède lukewarm
humide humid
sec dry
ensoleillé sunny
nuageux cloudy
pluvieux rainy
orageux stormy
venteux windy

beau beautiful
joli pretty
moche ugly
propre clean
sale dirty
neuf brand new
vieux old
moderne modern
ancien ancient
symétrique symmetrical

rapide fast
lent slow
léger light (weight)
lourd heavy
fort strong
faible weak
dur hard
mou soft
solide solid
fragile fragile

bon good
mauvais bad
meilleur better
pire worse
gentil kind
méchant mean
agréable pleasant
désagréable unpleasant
drôle funny
sérieux serious

heureux happy
triste sad
calme calm
nerveux nervous
fatigué tired
énergique energetic
malade sick
en bonne santé healthy
stressé stressed
relaxé relaxed

intelligent intelligent
bête silly
cultivé educated
ignorant ignorant
curieux curious
créatif creative
logique logical
attentif attentive
distrait distracted
raisonnable reasonable

riche rich
pauvre poor
cher expensive
bon marché cheap
utile useful
inutile useless
important important
nécessaire necessary
facile easy
difficile difficult

ouvert open
fermé closed
disponible available
occupé busy
vide empty
plein full
libre free
interdit forbidden
autorisé allowed
dangereux dangerous

nouveau new
différent different
pareil same
unique unique
premier first
dernier last
prochain next
ancien former
jeune young
vieux old

a large white ball floating on top of a body of water
a large white ball floating on top of a body of water

Counting in French

zéro zero
un one
deux two
trois three
quatre four
cinq five
six six
sept seven
huit eight
neuf nine

dix ten
onze eleven
douze twelve
treize thirteen
quatorze fourteen
quinze fifteen
seize sixteen
dix-sept seventeen
dix-huit eighteen
dix-neuf nineteen

vingt twenty
trente thirty
quarante forty
cinquante fifty
soixante sixty
soixante-dix seventy
quatre-vingts eighty
quatre-vingt-dix ninety
cent hundred
mille thousand

premier first
deuxième second
troisième third
quatrième fourth
cinquième fifth
sixième sixth
septième seventh
huitième eighth
neuvième ninth
dixième tenth

demi half
tiers third
quart quarter
double double
triple triple
moitié half (portion)
entier whole
portion portion
fraction fraction
dizaine group of ten

douzaine dozen
centaine hundred (approx.)
millier thousand (approx.)
million million
milliard billion
nombre number
chiffre digit
somme sum
total total
résultat result

addition addition
soustraction subtraction
multiplication multiplication
division division
plus plus
moins minus
fois times
égal equals
pourcentage percentage
moyenne average

compter to count
additionner to add
soustraire to subtract
multiplier to multiply
diviser to divide
calculer to calculate
mesurer to measure
estimer to estimate
arrondir to round
convertir to convert

pair even
impair odd
exact exact
approximatif approximate
croissant ascending
décroissant descending
moindre lesser
supérieur greater
inférieur lower
égalitaire equal

trop too much
peu too little
assez enough
plusieurs several
quelques a few
tous all
aucun none
chaque each
quelconque any
certain some

Close-up of a detailed antique clock face.
Close-up of a detailed antique clock face.

Time in French

lundi monday
mardi tuesday
mercredi wednesday
jeudi thursday
vendredi friday
samedi saturday
dimanche sunday
jour day
semaine week
week-end weekend
journée daytime
quotidien daily
hebdomadaire weekly
jour ouvrable working day
jour férié public holiday

janvier january
février february
mars march
avril april
mai may
juin june
juillet july
août august
septembre september
octobre october
novembre november
décembre december
mois month
mois prochain next month
mois dernier last month

printemps spring
été summer
automne autumn
hiver winter
saison season
saisonnier seasonal
début du printemps early spring
fin de l’hiver end of winter
changement de saison seasonal change
temps weather / time

heure hour
minute minute
seconde second
matin morning
midi noon
après-midi afternoon
soir evening
nuit night
minuit midnight
lever du soleil sunrise
coucher du soleil sunset
pendule clock
montre watch
horloge clock (large)
réveil alarm clock

il est une heure it is one o’clock
il est deux heures it is two o’clock
et quart quarter past
et demie half past
moins le quart quarter to
pile exactly (on the hour)
en avance early
en retard late
à l’heure on time
dans une heure in an hour

ce matin this morning
cet après-midi this afternoon
ce soir this evening
cette nuit tonight
hier matin yesterday morning
hier soir last night
demain matin tomorrow morning
demain soir tomorrow evening
tôt early
tard late

le matin in the morning
le soir in the evening
chaque jour each day
tous les jours every day
tous les matins every morning
tous les soirs every evening
toute la journée all day long
toute la nuit all night
dès l’aube at dawn
jusqu’à minuit until midnight

Family in French

famille family
parent parent
enfant child
fils son
fille daughter
père father
mère mother
papa dad
maman mom
bébé baby

frère brother
sœur sister
jumeau twin (male)
jumelle twin (female)
demi-frère half-brother
demi-sœur half-sister
beau-frère brother-in-law
belle-sœur sister-in-law
fratrie siblings
enfants uniques only children

grand-père grandfather
grand-mère grandmother
grands-parents grandparents
arrière-grand-père great-grandfather
arrière-grand-mère great-grandmother
petit-fils grandson
petite-fille granddaughter
petits-enfants grandchildren
arrière-petits-enfants great-grandchildren
généalogie genealogy

oncle uncle
tante aunt
neveu nephew
nièce niece
cousin cousin (male)
cousine cousin (female)
parents proches close relatives
parents éloignés distant relatives
lien de parenté family tie
arbre généalogique family tree

mari husband
femme wife
époux spouse (male)
épouse spouse (female)
conjoint partner (male)
conjointe partner (female)
partenaire partner
fiancé fiancé (male)
fiancée fiancée (female)
couple couple

mariage marriage
noces wedding
lune de miel honeymoon
union civile civil union
pacs civil partnership
divorce divorce
séparation separation
remariage remarriage
célibataire single
veuf widower

veuve widow
famille recomposée blended family
belle-mère mother-in-law / stepmother
beau-père father-in-law / stepfather
belle-fille daughter-in-law / stepdaughter
beau-fils son-in-law / stepson
ex-mari ex-husband
ex-femme ex-wife
nouveau conjoint new partner
ancien conjoint former partner

mère porteuse surrogate mother
adoption adoption
orphelin orphan (male)
orpheline orphan (female)
tuteur guardian (male)
tutrice guardian (female)
filiation lineage
famille d’accueil foster family
enfant adopté adopted child
autorité parentale parental authority

famille nombreuse large family
foyer household
chef de famille head of household
proche close relative
liens familiaux family bonds
soutien familial family support
valeurs familiales family values
héritage inheritance
nom de famille family name
tradition familiale family tradition

man in black suit standing beside woman in white shirt
man in black suit standing beside woman in white shirt

Colors, Shapes and Sizes in French

rouge red
bleu blue
jaune yellow
vert green
orange orange
violet purple
rose pink
marron brown
noir black
blanc white
gris grey
beige beige
turquoise turquoise
doré golden
argenté silver
coloré colorful
multicolore multicolored
pâle pale
foncé dark
clair light

cercle circle
carré square
triangle triangle
rectangle rectangle
ovale oval
losange diamond shape
hexagone hexagon
octogone octagon
cylindre cylinder
cube cube
sphère sphere
pyramide pyramid
forme shape
forme géométrique geometric shape
point dot
ligne line
courbe curve
spirale spiral
étoile star
cœur heart

grand big
petit small
minuscule tiny
énorme enormous
immense immense
gros large
moyen medium
minime minimal
gigantesque gigantic
compact compact
étroit narrow
large wide
long long
court short
haut tall
bas low
profond deep
superficiel shallow
épais thick
fin thin

symétrique symmetrical
asymétrique asymmetrical
plat flat
bombé rounded
lisse smooth
rugueux rough
pointu pointed
arrondi rounded
droite straight
oblique slanted
horizontal horizontal
vertical vertical
parallèle parallel
perpendiculaire perpendicular
plein full
vide empty
dense dense
creux hollow
irrégulier irregular
uniforme uniform

taille size
grandeur dimension
volume volume
hauteur height
largeur width
longueur length
épaisseur thickness
poids weight
surface surface
contour outline
biseau bevel
angle angle
bord edge
coin corner
centre center
milieu middle
extrémité end
base base
sommet top
hauteur totale overall height

a row of houses next to a body of water
a row of houses next to a body of water

Food and Drinks in French

pain bread
baguette baguette
croissant croissant
brioche brioche
crêpe crêpe
tarte pie
quiche quiche
viennoiserie pastry
pâtisserie pastry shop item
biscuit cookie

fromage cheese
beurre butter
yaourt yogurt
lait milk
crème cream
œuf egg
charcuterie cold cuts
jambon ham
saucisson dry sausage
foie gras foie gras

poulet chicken
bœuf beef
porc pork
agneau lamb
canard duck
viande meat
poisson fish
thon tuna
saumon salmon
fruits de mer seafood

carotte carrot
pomme de terre potato
tomate tomato
salade lettuce
concombre cucumber
courgette zucchini
aubergine eggplant
oignon onion
ail garlic
épinard spinach

pomme apple
poire pear
banane banana
fraise strawberry
cerise cherry
raisin grape
melon melon
pastèque watermelon
orange orange
citron lemon

riz rice
pâtes pasta
semoule semolina
blé wheat
lentilles lentils
pois chiches chickpeas
haricots beans
maïs corn
céréales cereals
farine flour

sel salt
poivre pepper
épices spices
herbes herbs
huile oil
vinaigre vinegar
moutarde mustard
mayonnaise mayonnaise
ketchup ketchup
sauce sauce

eau water
eau gazeuse sparkling water
jus d’orange orange juice
jus de pomme apple juice
lait chocolaté chocolate milk
thé tea
café coffee
chocolat chaud hot chocolate
bière beer
vin wine

apéritif aperitif
cocktail cocktail
boisson drink
boisson chaude hot drink
boisson froide cold drink
digestif digestif
glace ice cream
dessert dessert
sucrerie sweet
gâteau cake

repas meal
petit-déjeuner breakfast
déjeuner lunch
dîner dinner
goûter snack
entrée starter
plat principal main course
accompagnement side dish
menu menu
recette recipe

pasta with green leaf on black plate
pasta with green leaf on black plate

Clothes in French

vêtement clothing
tenue outfit
habit garment
linge clothes
garde-robe wardrobe
essayage fitting
taille size
mode fashion
collection collection
style style

chemise shirt
t-shirt t-shirt
pull sweater
sweat-shirt sweatshirt
débardeur tank top
veste jacket
manteau coat
blouson bomber jacket
gilet vest / cardigan
anorak parka

pantalon trousers
jean jeans
short shorts
legging leggings
jogging sweatpants
salopette overalls
collant tights
jupe skirt
robe dress
tailleur women’s suit

costume men’s suit
cravate tie
nœud papillon bow tie
chemisier blouse
blazer blazer
uniforme uniform
pyjama pajamas
peignoir bathrobe
maillot de bain swimsuit
sous-vêtement underwear

culotte panties
slip briefs
boxer boxer shorts
soutien-gorge bra
caraco camisole
chaussettes socks
bas stockings
chaussons slippers
collier necklace
bracelet bracelet

bague ring
boucles d’oreilles earrings
montre watch
lunettes glasses
lunettes de soleil sunglasses
ceinture belt
chapeau hat
casquette cap
bonnet beanie
écharpe scarf

gant glove
parapluie umbrella
sac bag
sac à main handbag
sac à dos backpack
porte-monnaie coin purse
portefeuille wallet
broche brooch
pince à cheveux hair clip
barette hair barrette

chaussure shoe
basket sneaker
bottes boots
sandales sandals
chaussons slippers
talons heels
mocassins loafers
tongs flip-flops
pantoufles house shoes
escarpins pumps

zip zipper
bouton button
fermeture éclair zip fastener
poignet cuff
col collar
manche sleeve
ourlet hem
poche pocket
tissu fabric
couture seam

a woman sitting in the back of a green car
a woman sitting in the back of a green car

Weather in French

temps weather
météo forecast
climat climate
ciel sky
soleil sun
nuage cloud
ciel bleu blue sky
temps couvert overcast
brouillard fog
brume mist

pluie rain
averse shower
goutte raindrop
pluie fine drizzle
pluie battante pouring rain
grêle hail
orage thunderstorm
éclair lightning
tonnerre thunder
arc-en-ciel rainbow

neige snow
flocon snowflake
tempête de neige snowstorm
verglas black ice
gel frost
gelée freeze
glace ice
dégel thaw
blizzard blizzard
poudreuse powder snow

vent wind
brise breeze
bourrasque gust
rafale wind gust
tempête storm
cyclone cyclone
ouragan hurricane
tornade tornado
courant d’air draft
calme plat dead calm

froid cold
chaud hot
tiède warm
humide humid
sec dry
canicule heatwave
fraîcheur coolness
température temperature
degré degree
saison season

printemps spring
été summer
automne autumn
hiver winter
matin brumeux foggy morning
soirée fraîche cool evening
nuit étoilée starry night
lever du soleil sunrise
coucher du soleil sunset
lumière du jour daylight

montagne mountain
colline hill
vallée valley
plaine plain
forêt forest
bois woods
prairie meadow
champ field
désert desert
falaise cliff

rivière river
fleuve big river
lac lake
mer sea
océan ocean
plage beach
rocher rock
grotte cave
île island
péninsule peninsula

jardin garden
parc park
chemin path
sentier trail
paysage landscape
panorama view
vue sight
nature nature
environnement environment
horizon horizon

a group of surfboards sitting on top of a beach
a group of surfboards sitting on top of a beach

Travel in French

voyage travel
tourisme tourism
vacances holiday
destination destination
séjour stay
itinéraire itinerary
aventure adventure
excursion excursion
circuit tour
périple journey

carte map
guide guidebook
boussole compass
valise suitcase
sac à dos backpack
bagage luggage
passeport passport
visa visa
billet ticket
réservation reservation

départ departure
arrivée arrival
embarquement boarding
enregistrement check-in
douane customs
contrôle de sécurité security check
guichet ticket counter
quai platform
terminal terminal
portail d’embarquement boarding gate

aéroport airport
avion airplane
vol flight
compagnie aérienne airline
pilote pilot
hôtesse de l’air flight attendant (female)
steward flight attendant (male)
train train
gare train station
wagon carriage

métro subway
tramway tram
bus bus
autocar coach
taxi taxi
voiture car
véhicule vehicle
camion truck
moto motorcycle
scooter scooter

vélo bicycle
trottinette scooter (manual/electric)
bateau boat
ferry ferry
paquebot cruise ship
voilier sailboat
port port
croisière cruise
marin sailor
navire ship

panne breakdown
accident accident
bouchon traffic jam
parking parking lot
péage toll
essence fuel
station-service gas station
aire de repos rest area
signalisation signage
feu de signalisation traffic light

rue street
route road
autoroute highway
carrefour intersection
pont bridge
tunnel tunnel
voie lane
piste cyclable bike lane
trottoir sidewalk
passage piéton crosswalk

location de voiture car rental
agence de voyage travel agency
hébergement accommodation
hôtel hotel
auberge inn
chambre d’hôte bed and breakfast
camping camping
retrait de bagages baggage claim
file d’attente queue
carte d’embarquement boarding pass

white and brown boat on sea during daytime
white and brown boat on sea during daytime

Home in French

maison house
appartement apartment
immeuble building
studio studio
villa villa
chalet cabin
logement housing
domicile residence
propriété property
résidence principale primary residence

salon living room
salle à manger dining room
cuisine kitchen
chambre bedroom
salle de bain bathroom
toilettes toilet
couloir hallway
entrée entrance
escalier staircase
grenier attic

cave basement
buanderie laundry room
bureau office
dressing walk-in closet
garage garage
balcon balcony
terrasse terrace
jardin garden
cour courtyard
piscine pool

porte door
fenêtre window
toit roof
mur wall
plafond ceiling
sol floor
carrelage tile
parquet wood flooring
moquette carpet
tapis rug

meuble furniture
canapé sofa
fauteuil armchair
chaise chair
table table
table basse coffee table
étagère shelf
commode chest of drawers
armoire wardrobe
lit bed

matelas mattress
oreiller pillow
drap sheet
couverture blanket
couette duvet
rideau curtain
lampe lamp
lustre chandelier
miroir mirror
tableau painting

casserole pot
poêle pan
assiette plate
verre glass
tasse cup
bol bowl
fourchette fork
couteau knife
cuillère spoon
nappe tablecloth

réfrigérateur fridge
congélateur freezer
four oven
micro-ondes microwave
lave-vaisselle dishwasher
évier sink
plaque de cuisson cooktop
hotte range hood
grille-pain toaster
bouilloire kettle

lave-linge washing machine
sèche-linge dryer
aspirateur vacuum cleaner
fer à repasser iron
table à repasser ironing board
poubelle trash can
seau bucket
balai broom
serpillière mop
produit ménager cleaning product

a yellow building with a brown roof and a mountain in the background
a yellow building with a brown roof and a mountain in the background

Law in French

loi law
droit right
règle rule
code civil civil code
code pénal penal code
constitution constitution
article article
amendement amendment
décret decree
ordonnance order

tribunal court
cour courtroom
juge judge
avocat lawyer
procureur prosecutor
greffier court clerk
jury jury
témoignage testimony
preuve evidence
audience hearing

plainte complaint
accusation accusation
défense defense
condamnation conviction
acquittement acquittal
verdict verdict
sentence sentence
appel appeal
dossier case file
jugement judgment

police police
gendarmerie gendarmerie
commissariat police station
enquête investigation
interrogatoire interrogation
mandat warrant
arrestation arrest
gardé à vue in custody
détention detention
prison prison

criminel criminal
victime victim
suspect suspect
coupable guilty
innocent innocent
délit offense
crime crime
infraction violation
vol theft
meurtre murder

violence violence
agression assault
fraude fraud
corruption corruption
harcèlement harassment
discrimination discrimination
chantage blackmail
extorsion extortion
contrebande smuggling
terrorisme terrorism

liberté freedom
égalité equality
justice justice
sécurité security
vie privée privacy
liberté d’expression freedom of speech
liberté de religion freedom of religion
droit de vote right to vote
droit du travail labor rights
droit à l’éducation right to education

droits de l’homme human rights
droit international international law
droit civil civil law
droit pénal criminal law
droit familial family law
droit commercial commercial law
droit des étrangers immigration law
droit fiscal tax law
droit constitutionnel constitutional law
droit de propriété property law

avocat de la défense defense attorney
avocat général state attorney
comparution appearance in court
mise en examen formal investigation
interdiction ban
sanction penalty
peine punishment
libération conditionnelle parole
amende fine
responsabilité liability

man in black shirt sitting beside woman in white shirt
man in black shirt sitting beside woman in white shirt

Jobs in French

travail work
emploi job
profession profession
poste position
carrière career
métier occupation
formation training
expérience experience
compétence skill
qualification qualification

candidat applicant
employé employee
employeur employer
recruteur recruiter
collègue colleague
stagiaire intern
travailleur indépendant freelancer
chef boss
manager manager
responsable supervisor

cv résumé
lettre de motivation cover letter
entretien interview
contrat contract
temps plein full time
temps partiel part time
horaires schedule
salaire salary
prime bonus
augmentation raise

entreprise company
bureau office
équipe team
direction management
service department
réunion meeting
pause break
congé leave
télétravail remote work
démission resignation

médecin doctor
infirmier nurse
chirurgien surgeon
pharmacien pharmacist
dentiste dentist
psychologue psychologist
vétérinaire veterinarian
aide-soignant care assistant
ambulancier paramedic
sage-femme midwife

enseignant teacher
professeur professor
instituteur primary teacher
formateur trainer
éducateur educator
chercheur researcher
étudiant student
surveillant school supervisor
bibliothécaire librarian
conseiller d’orientation guidance counselor

policier police officer
gendarme military police
pompier firefighter
militaire soldier
juge judge
avocat lawyer
gardien de prison prison guard
détective detective
agent de sécurité security guard
douanier customs officer

ingénieur engineer
informaticien computer scientist
développeur developer
technicien technician
architecte architect
électricien electrician
plombier plumber
mécanicien mechanic
ouvrier worker
chauffeur driver

vendeur salesperson
caissier cashier
serveur waiter
cuisinier cook
boulanger baker
boucher butcher
coiffeur hairdresser
esthéticienne beautician
fleuriste florist
réceptionniste receptionist

agriculteur farmer
jardinier gardener
pêcheur fisherman
éleveur breeder
apiculteur beekeeper
viticulteur wine grower
artisan craftsman
peintre painter
sculpteur sculptor
photographe photographer

man in black crew neck t-shirt wearing black framed eyeglasses using computer
man in black crew neck t-shirt wearing black framed eyeglasses using computer

Shopping in French

acheter to buy
vendre to sell
payer to pay
commander to order
choisir to choose
essayer to try on
marchander to bargain
chercher to look for
trouver to find
dépenser to spend

magasin shop
boutique store
supermarché supermarket
hypermarché hypermarket
centre commercial shopping mall
marché market
kiosque kiosk
vitrine shop window
rayon aisle
étagère shelf

panier basket
caddie shopping cart
produit product
article item
étiquette label
code-barres barcode
prix price
remise discount
promotion promotion
solde sale

facture bill
ticket de caisse receipt
bon d’achat voucher
carte de fidélité loyalty card
garantie warranty
remboursement refund
échange exchange
livraison delivery
retour return
commande en ligne online order

argent money
espèces cash
pièce coin
billet banknote
monnaie change
carte bancaire bank card
carte de crédit credit card
carte de débit debit card
chèque check
virement transfer

banque bank
guichet counter
distributeur atm
compte bancaire bank account
retrait withdrawal
dépôt deposit
solde balance
relevé de compte bank statement
intérêt interest
frais bancaires bank fees

budget budget
revenu income
salaire salary
dépense expense
économie savings
épargner to save
investir to invest
placement investment
rentabilité profitability
dividende dividend

impôt tax
déclaration d’impôts tax return
tva vat
cotisation contribution
assurance insurance
prêt loan
crédit credit
hypothèque mortgage
dette debt
faillite bankruptcy

portefeuille wallet
porte-monnaie coin purse
coût cost
cher expensive
bon marché cheap
valeur value
tarif rate
devise currency
taux de change exchange rate
finances finances

A stylish man poses in front of a columned building.
A stylish man poses in front of a columned building.

Health in French

santé health
médecine medicine
soin care
traitement treatment
diagnostic diagnosis
symptôme symptom
maladie illness
infection infection
fièvre fever
douleur pain

blessure injury
brûlure burn
plaie wound
fracture fracture
entorse sprain
contusion bruise
saignement bleeding
urgence emergency
allergie allergy
intolérance intolerance

médecin doctor
infirmier nurse
chirurgien surgeon
dentiste dentist
pharmacien pharmacist
kinésithérapeute physiotherapist
sage-femme midwife
psychiatre psychiatrist
psychologue psychologist
cardiologue cardiologist

hôpital hospital
clinique clinic
cabinet médical doctor's office
pharmacie pharmacy
salle d’attente waiting room
salle d’opération operating room
ambulance ambulance
brancard stretcher
ordonnance prescription
piqûre injection

médicament medicine
comprimé tablet
sirop syrup
crème cream
gouttes drops
antibiotique antibiotic
antidouleur painkiller
anesthésie anesthesia
vaccin vaccine
pansement bandage

corps body
tête head
visage face
yeux eyes
oreilles ears
nez nose
bouche mouth
dents teeth
langue tongue
cheveux hair

cou neck
épaules shoulders
bras arms
coudes elbows
mains hands
doigts fingers
ongles nails
poitrine chest
ventre belly
dos back

jambes legs
genoux knees
chevilles ankles
pieds feet
orteils toes
peau skin
os bone
muscle muscle
nerf nerve
sang blood

cœur heart
poumons lungs
foie liver
reins kidneys
estomac stomach
intestins intestines
cerveau brain
moelle épinière spinal cord
vessie bladder
squelette skeleton

man's head bust
man's head bust

Hobbies in French

loisir hobby
activité activity
temps libre free time
passion passion
détente relaxation
divertissement entertainment
intérêt interest
distraction distraction
plaisir pleasure
amusement amusement

lecture reading
livre book
roman novel
bande dessinée comic book
magazine magazine
journal newspaper
poésie poetry
bibliothèque library
auteur author
écriture writing

musique music
chant singing
danse dance
piano piano
guitare guitar
violon violin
flûte flute
batterie drums
orchestre orchestra
concert concert

dessin drawing
peinture painting
aquarelle watercolor
croquis sketch
sculpture sculpture
photographie photography
cinéma cinema
film movie
court-métrage short film
montage vidéo video editing

jeux de société board games
puzzle puzzle
échecs chess
cartes cards
scrabble scrabble
jeu de rôle role-playing game
jeu vidéo video game
console console
ordinateur computer
application app

sport sport
football soccer
basket-ball basketball
tennis tennis
natation swimming
cyclisme cycling
course à pied running
randonnée hiking
yoga yoga
gymnastique gymnastics

jardinage gardening
cuisine cooking
pâtisserie baking
tricot knitting
couture sewing
bricolage DIY
décoration decorating
collection collection
philatélie stamp collecting
modélisme model building

voyage travel
camping camping
pêche fishing
canoë canoeing
voile sailing
plongée diving
ski skiing
surf surfing
équitation horse riding
escalade climbing

blog blog
réseaux sociaux social media
vidéo video
podcast podcast
création de contenu content creation
animation animation
langue étrangère foreign language
méditation meditation
astronomie astronomy
volontariat volunteering

woman standing beside table of accessories
woman standing beside table of accessories

Education in French

éducation education
apprentissage learning
enseignement teaching
formation training
savoir knowledge
connaissance understanding
compétence skill
étude study
instruction instruction
discipline discipline

école school
collège middle school
lycée high school
université university
faculté faculty
classe class
salle de classe classroom
bibliothèque library
laboratoire laboratory
cantine cafeteria

enseignant teacher
professeur professor
instituteur primary school teacher
formateur trainer
assistant assistant
directeur principal
élève pupil
étudiant student
camarade classmate
surveillant hall monitor

matière subject
français french
mathématiques mathematics
histoire history
géographie geography
sciences science
biologie biology
physique physics
chimie chemistry
langue vivante foreign language

exercice exercise
leçon lesson
cours course
devoir homework
examen exam
test test
contrôle quiz
note grade
bulletin scolaire report card
diplôme diploma

tableau board
craie chalk
marqueur marker
livre book
cahier notebook
stylo pen
crayon pencil
règle ruler
trousse pencil case
cartable school bag

pause break
récréation recess
horaire schedule
emploi du temps timetable
année scolaire school year
semestre semester
trimestre term
vacances scolaires school holidays
rentrée back to school
inscription registration

niveau level
programme curriculum
orientation guidance
option elective
spécialité major
baccalauréat baccalaureate
licence bachelor’s degree
master master’s degree
doctorat doctorate
recherche research

réussite success
échec failure
progrès progress
retard delay
motivation motivation
effort effort
mémoire memory
concentration concentration
curiosité curiosity
participation participation

brown concrete building
brown concrete building

Nature in French

nature nature
environnement environment
écologie ecology
paysage landscape
scène naturelle natural scene
milieu naturel natural habitat
ressource naturelle natural resource
biodiversité biodiversity
conservation conservation
protection protection

forêt forest
bois woods
arbre tree
branche branch
feuille leaf
tronc trunk
racine root
buisson bush
haie hedge
clairière clearing

fleur flower
plante plant
herbe grass
pousse sprout
champignon mushroom
graine seed
pétale petal
parfum scent
jardin sauvage wild garden
prairie meadow

montagne mountain
colline hill
vallée valley
rocher rock
falaise cliff
pic peak
sommet summit
glacier glacier
grotte cave
chemin de randonnée hiking trail

rivière river
fleuve large river
ruisseau stream
cascade waterfall
lac lake
étang pond
source spring
eau douce freshwater
océan ocean
mer sea

plage beach
sable sand
dune dune
rivage shore
baie bay
péninsule peninsula
île island
archipel archipelago
récif reef
lagon lagoon

ciel sky
soleil sun
lune moon
étoile star
nuage cloud
arc-en-ciel rainbow
brume mist
brouillard fog
aurore dawn
crépuscule dusk

vent wind
pluie rain
neige snow
grêle hail
orage storm
tonnerre thunder
éclair lightning
goutte drop
rosée dew
tempête tempest

animaux sauvages wild animals
oiseau bird
papillon butterfly
insecte insect
cerf deer
renard fox
écureuil squirrel
lapin rabbit
poisson fish
grenouille frog

blue bird on brown nest
blue bird on brown nest

Technology in French

technologie technology
innovation innovation
numérique digital
informatique computer science
automatisation automation
robotique robotics
intelligence artificielle artificial intelligence
algorithme algorithm
réalité virtuelle virtual reality
réalité augmentée augmented reality

ordinateur computer
portable laptop
tablette tablet
smartphone smartphone
téléphone phone
écran screen
clavier keyboard
souris mouse
appareil device
borne terminal

logiciel software
application application
programme program
système d’exploitation operating system
mise à jour update
fichier file
dossier folder
base de données database
plateforme platform
interface interface

internet internet
réseau network
connexion connection
wifi wifi
modem modem
serveur server
navigateur browser
moteur de recherche search engine
site web website
page d’accueil homepage

courriel email
messagerie messaging
boîte de réception inbox
pièce jointe attachment
spam spam
forum forum
discussion chat
vidéoconférence video call
appel vocal voice call
streaming streaming

réseaux sociaux social media
profil profile
compte account
mot de passe password
identifiant username
abonné follower
publication post
like like
commentaire comment
partage share

disque dur hard drive
clé usb usb drive
stockage storage
mémoire memory
processeur processor
carte graphique graphics card
batterie battery
chargeur charger
imprimante printer
scanner scanner

bug bug
piratage hacking
virus virus
antivirus antivirus
pare-feu firewall
cybersécurité cybersecurity
protection des données data protection
cryptage encryption
sauvegarde backup
restauration recovery

développement development
codage coding
programmation programming
langage informatique computer language
débogage debugging
interface utilisateur user interface
expérience utilisateur user experience
version bêta beta version
cloud cloud
technophile tech enthusiast

coca cola signage on black metal fence
coca cola signage on black metal fence

Feelings in French

émotion emotion
sentiment feeling
humeur mood
état d’esprit state of mind
sensation sensation
ressenti perception
réaction reaction
impression impression
intuition intuition
expression expression

joie joy
bonheur happiness
satisfaction satisfaction
enthousiasme enthusiasm
excitation excitement
fierté pride
soulagement relief
espoir hope
amour love
tendresse tenderness

amitié friendship
affection affection
attachement attachment
complicité closeness
passion passion
désir desire
attirance attraction
admiration admiration
reconnaissance gratitude
plaisir pleasure

tristesse sadness
chagrin grief
peine sorrow
larmes tears
solitude loneliness
mélancolie melancholy
nostalgie nostalgia
désespoir despair
regret regret
déception disappointment

colère anger
rage rage
frustration frustration
agacement annoyance
irritation irritation
mécontentement discontent
rancune resentment
haine hatred
hostilité hostility
indignation indignation

peur fear
terreur terror
panique panic
inquiétude worry
anxiété anxiety
angoisse anguish
stress stress
doute doubt
crainte apprehension
phobie phobia

jalousie jealousy
envie envy
culpabilité guilt
honte shame
embarras embarrassment
confusion confusion
dégoût disgust
indifférence indifference
lassitude weariness
fatigue émotionnelle emotional fatigue

curiosité curiosity
surprise surprise
étonnement astonishment
stupéfaction shock
admiration admiration
respect respect
sympathie sympathy
empathie empathy
compassion compassion
bienveillance kindness

confiance trust
assurance assurance
motivation motivation
inspiration inspiration
détermination determination
courage courage
patience patience
tolérance tolerance
optimisme optimism
sérénité serenity

man and woman standing and facing each other while kissing on lips near black railings
man and woman standing and facing each other while kissing on lips near black railings

Sports in French

sport sport
activité physique physical activity
discipline discipline
compétition competition
entraîneur coach
équipe team
joueur player
adversaire opponent
match match
tournoi tournament

football soccer
basket-ball basketball
volley-ball volleyball
handball handball
rugby rugby
tennis tennis
badminton badminton
ping-pong table tennis
base-ball baseball
hockey hockey

natation swimming
plongée diving
water-polo water polo
voile sailing
aviron rowing
canoë-kayak canoeing
surf surfing
planche à voile windsurfing
ski nautique waterskiing
piscine swimming pool

course à pied running
marathon marathon
sprint sprint
randonnée hiking
marche walking
cyclisme cycling
vtt mountain biking
tapis de course treadmill
vélo d’appartement exercise bike
piste track

gymnastique gymnastics
yoga yoga
pilates pilates
zumba zumba
fitness fitness
musculation weight training
haltères dumbbells
corde à sauter jump rope
échauffement warm-up
étirement stretching

boxe boxing
judo judo
karaté karate
taekwondo taekwondo
lutte wrestling
escrime fencing
arts martiaux martial arts
auto-défense self-defense
dojo dojo
gants gloves

ski skiing
snowboard snowboarding
patinage skating
luge sledding
raquette snowshoeing
téléski ski lift
piste de ski ski slope
montagne mountain
neige snow
station de ski ski resort

ballon ball
raquette racket
filet net
terrain field
stade stadium
vestiaire locker room
arbitre referee
sifflet whistle
but goal
score score

entraînement training
effort effort
performance performance
résultat result
victoire victory
défaite defeat
égalité draw
médaille medal
trophée trophy
podium podium

man in gray crew neck t-shirt
man in gray crew neck t-shirt

Animals in French

animal animal
espèce species
faune wildlife
mammifère mammal
reptile reptile
amphibien amphibian
oiseau bird
poisson fish
insecte insect
vertébré vertebrate

chien dog
chat cat
lapin rabbit
hamster hamster
cochon d’Inde guinea pig
souris mouse
rat rat
tortue turtle
oiseau domestique pet bird
poisson rouge goldfish

cheval horse
âne donkey
vache cow
taureau bull
veau calf
mouton sheep
agneau lamb
chèvre goat
cochon pig
poulet chicken

coq rooster
poule hen
canard duck
oie goose
dinde turkey
pigeon pigeon
colombe dove
perroquet parrot
hirondelle swallow
aigle eagle

faucon falcon
hibou owl
chouette barn owl
corbeau crow
moineau sparrow
cygne swan
pélican pelican
autruche ostrich
flamant rose flamingo
paon peacock

lion lion
tigre tiger
panthère panther
léopard leopard
éléphant elephant
rhinocéros rhinoceros
hippopotame hippopotamus
zèbre zebra
girafe giraffe
singe monkey

gorille gorilla
chimpanzé chimpanzee
ours bear
loup wolf
renard fox
blaireau badger
raton laveur raccoon
écureuil squirrel
hérisson hedgehog
chauve-souris bat

requin shark
raie ray
dauphin dolphin
baleine whale
méduse jellyfish
pieuvre octopus
crabe crab
homard lobster
moule mussel
huître oyster

abeille bee
mouche fly
moustique mosquito
fourmi ant
araignée spider
coccinelle ladybug
papillon butterfly
chenille caterpillar
sauterelle grasshopper
escargot snail

ver de terre earthworm
caméléon chameleon
serpent snake
lézard lizard
crocodile crocodile
grenouille frog
crapaud toad
iguane iguana
têtard tadpole
triton newt

shallow focus photo of brown grizzly bear
shallow focus photo of brown grizzly bear

War in French

guerre war
conflit conflict
bataille battle
combat fight
affrontement clash
hostilité hostility
invasion invasion
offensive offensive
attaque attack
défense defense

armée army
soldat soldier
militaire military
officier officer
général general
capitaine captain
lieutenant lieutenant
sergent sergeant
recrue recruit
vétéran veteran

uniforme uniform
casque helmet
gilet pare-balles bulletproof vest
bottes militaires military boots
tenue de camouflage camouflage outfit
insigne badge
grade rank
équipement equipment
ration ration
sac à dos backpack

fusil rifle
pistolet pistol
mitraillette machine gun
grenade grenade
bombe bomb
missile missile
obus shell
canon cannon
tank tank
drone drone

avion de chasse fighter jet
hélicoptère helicopter
sous-marin submarine
navire de guerre warship
porte-avions aircraft carrier
mine landmine
explosion explosion
tir shot
balle bullet
munition ammunition

stratégie strategy
tactique tactic
plan d’attaque attack plan
embuscade ambush
siège siege
occupation occupation
résistance resistance
retraite retreat
trêve truce
cessez-le-feu ceasefire

ennemi enemy
allié ally
coalition coalition
traître traitor
espion spy
prisonnier de guerre prisoner of war
otage hostage
civil civilian
dommages collatéraux collateral damage
zone de guerre war zone

blessure wound
mort death
massacre massacre
bombardement bombing
destruction destruction
ruine ruin
exil exile
réfugié refugee
déportation deportation
génocide genocide

paix peace
traité treaty
armistice armistice
désarmement disarmament
réconciliation reconciliation
réparation reparation
justice militaire military justice
tribunal international international court
mémoire remembrance
monument aux morts war memorial

a person standing next to an airplane
a person standing next to an airplane

Politics in French

gouvernement government
ministre minister
président president
premier ministre prime minister
assemblée nationale national assembly
sénat senate
conseil des ministres council of ministers
république republic
monarchie monarchy
constitution constitution
pouvoir exécutif executive power
pouvoir législatif legislative power
pouvoir judiciaire judicial power
séparation des pouvoirs separation of powers
fonction publique civil service
administration administration
bureaucratie bureaucracy
cabinet ministériel ministerial cabinet

parti politique political party
militant activist
électeur voter
scrutin election
candidat candidate
campagne électorale election campaign
urne ballot box
vote blanc blank vote
majorité majority
minorité minority
coalition coalition
abstention abstention
sondage poll
isoloir voting booth
bureau de vote polling station
circonscription constituency
proportionnelle proportional representation

loi law
décret decree
ordonnance order
règlement regulation
amendement amendment
projet de loi bill
proposition de loi private bill
débat parlementaire parliamentary debate
commission committee
vote à main levée show of hands
vote secret secret ballot
motion de censure motion of censure
investiture vote of confidence
mandat term of office
immunité parlementaire parliamentary immunity

ambassade embassy
ambassadeur ambassador
consulat consulate
diplomate diplomat
attaché culturel cultural attaché
relation bilatérale bilateral relation
relation multilatérale multilateral relation
politique étrangère foreign policy
accord agreement
traité treaty
négociation negotiation
coopération cooperation
médiation mediation
sanction sanction
représentation permanente permanent representation
conférence internationale international conference
protocole protocol

démocratie democracy
dictature dictatorship
autoritarisme authoritarianism
populisme populism
libéralisme liberalism
socialisme socialism
communisme communism
anarchie anarchy
souveraineté sovereignty
citoyenneté citizenship
droits de l’homme human rights
liberté d’expression freedom of speech
censure censorship
opposition opposition
manifestation demonstration
répression repression
réforme reform

union européenne european union
otan nato
onu un
unesco unesco
cour pénale internationale international criminal court
commission européenne european commission
parlement européen european parliament
banque mondiale world bank
fonds monétaire international international monetary fund
zone euro eurozone
sécurité internationale international security
politique migratoire migration policy
asylum asylum
crise diplomatique diplomatic crisis
guerre war
paix peace
désarmement disarmament

police men wearing helmets
police men wearing helmets

Swearing in French

French profanity is often expressive, shaped by Latin linguistic heritage and France’s complex relationship with authority, religion, and personal identity. Many terms are rooted in sexuality, bodily functions, or blasphemy—especially those that profane religious symbols or challenge authority figures—which can be particularly offensive in more formal or traditional circles. However, many of these expressions are used casually or humorously among peers and vary greatly by region and context. Always use them with caution in your class presentation, emphasizing their sociolinguistic and cultural dimensions.

Putain Fuck – Extremely common, used to express frustration, surprise, or emphasis (e.g. Putain de merde !)
Merde Shit – Widely used and milder than putain, often said out of annoyance or disappointment
Bordel Brothel / Mess – Can express chaos or disorder (e.g. Quel bordel ici !)
Salope Bitch / Slut – A highly offensive insult, usually directed at women
Enculé Assfucker – Very vulgar, often used in road rage or fights
Connard / Connasse Asshole / Bitch – Common insults for a stupid or nasty person
Fils de pute Son of a bitch – Deeply offensive, often causes confrontation
Nique ta mère Fuck your mother – Extremely vulgar and violent, should be avoided
Ta gueule Shut your mouth – Rude and dismissive, stronger than just tais-toi
Ferme ta gueule Shut the fuck up – More aggressive and offensive
Casse-toi Get lost / Fuck off – Rude, often used in anger
Je t’emmerde Fuck you / I shit on you – Strong, direct insult
Faire chier To piss off / To annoy – Can be used reflexively or to complain (e.g. Ça me fait chier)
Péter les plombs To lose it / Go nuts – Colloquial but strong emotional expression
Se foutre de quelqu’un To not give a damn / To mock someone – Can be playful or cruel depending on tone
Foutre la merde To stir up shit – Describes someone who causes trouble
Raclure Scumbag – Very offensive, dehumanizing insult
Ordure Trash / Scum – Harsh term to insult someone’s character
Couille Ball / Testicle – Used in many expressions (e.g. avoir les couilles = to have balls)
Couillon Dumbass – Mild insult, often said in jest
Abruti Idiot / Moron – Strong but commonly used
Débile Stupid / Dumb – Can be lighthearted or offensive depending on tone
Tocard Loser – Derogatory slang for a failure or idiot
Pute Whore – Extremely offensive, especially toward women
Truand Thug / Crook – Can refer to someone dangerous or shady
Trou du cul Asshole – Vulgar, but widespread
Barjot Nuts / Crazy – Colloquial and playful
Foutre le camp To get the hell out – Vulgar way to say leave
C’est de la merde That’s shit – Disdain for something (e.g. Ce film est de la merde)
Putain de merde Fucking shit – Layers of profanity, very strong reaction
Ferme ta putain de gueule Shut your fucking mouth – Extremely offensive
C’est du foutage de gueule That’s bullshit / a joke – Expresses strong indignation
Fais chier You’re annoying me – Common complaint
Va te faire foutre Go fuck yourself – Standard French profanity equivalent of “fuck off”
Enculeur Fucker / Bastard – Vulgar term used to insult
Salopard Bastard – Deep insult to someone's moral character
Espèce de… You… (insert insult) – Often followed by other slurs (e.g. espèce d’idiot)
Tête de con Shithead – Popular in heated arguments
Grosse vache Fat cow – Insult based on appearance
Crétin Cretin / Moron – Mild insult, often outdated
Merdeux Little shit – Common for insulting a disrespectful kid
Pédé Fag – Homophobic slur, extremely offensive
Tapette Fag – Slang insult, also very offensive
Flinguer To shoot / To ruin – Literal or metaphorical destruction
Niquer To screw / Fuck – Used sexually or insultingly (e.g. Il a tout niqué)
Dégage Get out / Beat it – Rude but not vulgar
Zob Dick – Vulgar slang
Chatte Pussy – Female genitalia, vulgar
Bite Cock – Common male anatomy insult or expression
Pisser To piss – Informal for urination
Chiotte Toilet / Shitter – Slang for toilet
Crotte Poop – Mild and childish word for shit
Tocard de service Resident loser – Insult with sarcastic tone
Nul à chier Totally useless – Crude assessment of incompetence
Sale con Dirty idiot / Asshole – Used for verbal aggression
T’es relou You’re a pain – Less vulgar, very colloquial
Fait chier ce pays This country sucks – Political/social frustration
Bande de cons Bunch of idiots – Said about a group
Ça me gave I’m fed up – Informal way to say enough is enough
J’en ai ras-le-bol I’ve had it – Strong frustration
T’as craqué ou quoi ? Are you nuts or what? – Confrontational
Foutez-moi la paix Leave me the fuck alone – Strong and rude
Tu vas te prendre une claque You’re gonna get slapped – Threatening
C’est n’importe quoi That’s nonsense / bullshit – Disbelief or disapproval
Va chier Go shit yourself – Vulgar but less aggressive than va te faire foutre

woman in black long sleeve shirt standing beside white string lights
woman in black long sleeve shirt standing beside white string lights

Loanwords in French

ballet ballet
choreographie choreography
pirouette pirouette
relevé releve
pas de deux duet
jeté jeté
plié plié
tutu tutu
danseur male dancer
danseuse female dancer

cuisine cooking
menu menu
restaurant restaurant
chef head cook
bistro bistro
croissant croissant
soufflé soufflé
crêpe crêpe
entrée starter
hors-d’œuvre appetizer

couture sewing
haute couture high fashion
boutique shop
lingerie underwear
cravat tie
chic stylish
mannequin model
parfum perfume
beret beret
rouge red (makeup)

fiancé engaged man
fiancée engaged woman
rendez-vous appointment / date
coup de foudre love at first sight
mariage marriage
affaire affair
amour love
liaison relationship
savoir-faire know-how
joie de vivre joy of living

police police
gendarme military police
agent provocateur instigator
coup d’état government overthrow
espionage spying
saboteur saboteur
régime government system
bureau office / agency
dossier file
détenu detainee

art art
atelier studio
easel easel
portrait portrait
collage collage
genre genre / style
motif pattern
pastel pastel
vignette illustration
tableau painting

theatre theater
acte act
scène scene
monologue monologue
reprise revival
encore again / another performance
début first appearance
finale final performance
salle hall
loges dressing rooms

milieu social environment
élite elite
nouveau riche newly rich
façade false front
résumé summary / CV
bizarre strange
blasé indifferent
faux pas social mistake
avant-garde experimental
critique review / critic

salon sitting room / gallery
concierge caretaker / hotel staff
décor interior design
terrace outdoor area
étagère shelf
chaise longue reclining chair
toilette bathroom
ménage household
appartement apartment
porte-monnaie coin purse

souvenir memory / keepsake
malaise unease
trompe-l’œil illusion in art
carte blanche complete freedom
au revoir goodbye
bon appétit enjoy your meal
touché acknowledging a good point
je ne sais quoi a certain something
raison d’être reason for being
déjà vu already seen

This list showcases 100 common French loanwords that have been adopted into English across various fields such as cuisine, fashion, art, politics, and daily life. Check out our article for the full collection of French loanwords, grouped by language source, and discover how much of the language you already understand without even realising it.

a group of flags
a group of flags
white plates with assorted foods
white plates with assorted foods

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